NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (JANUARY 09, 2013) — Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade on Nevis Mr. Dwight Morton underscored the importance of the Small Entrepreneur and Enterprise Development (SEED) programme to Nevis. He said the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) had thrown its full support behind the timely project.

Mr. Morton’s comment came in an interview with the Department of Information, moments after the SEED Business Boot Camp was launched in Charlestown on January 7th, 2013. The 14 participants for the Nevis leg of the programme were drawn from almost 50 applications, for the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) funded SEED programme.

“From my standpoint I am particularly pleased, from the government’s standpoint it is particularly pleased because this [SEED programme] could go a long way towards assisting in the employment thrust that the government is very much a part of.

“I believe that when people can become self-employed, it takes the pressure off government to provide employment. So whatever and wherever government can assist in having people become self-employed that’s a very big plus. [The SEED] helps in the overall plan of Government to try and strive towards full employment in Nevis,” he said.

Mr. Morton also expressed the view that the programme would expand and develop to the benefit of Nevisians and St. Kitts and Nevis.

The Business Boot Camp which will run from January 7th -25th, 2013, is the second phase in the programme. During the Camp, the selected prospective small business owners would receive the type of initiation and training that would give them the necessary background and provide them with the impetus, knowledge and skills essential to becoming successful entrepreneurs.

Meantime, a participant at the Business Boot Camp Mr. Carl Tyson registered his contentment for being among the 14 selectees for the programme and regarded the opportunity as a welcome one.

“I must say that I am ecstatic to be selected among the 14 out of almost 50 people to be a part of the programme.

“I think that anytime that you can get some money to start a business…and you don’t have to pay interest on it. If you take that money and spend it, buy something or build something and turn around and take that, say, $50 and make a $100 out of it that’s a fantastic opportunity,” he said.

In addition, Mr. Tyson noted that the SEED programme would provide a spring board for young persons on the island which would translate into great benefits for Nevis.

“Nevis is going to benefit from that tremendously because there are a lot of young people on the island who have ideas, I have spoken to a few of them [and] they have ideas.

“We have see a lot of things happening on the television nowadays, everybody is current with what is happening around the world and people are now thinking that Nevis needs to move ahead and they want to bring those ideas and implement them and hopefully make some business, make some money. So I think it’s going to be a good thing,” he said.

The NIA through the Ministry of Trade had been approached by the SIDF to assist with the implementation of the SEED project. The Ministry has also been actively involved in other projects through its Small Enterprise Development Unit (SEDU) which engendered and assisted persons who wished to get involved in small business on the island.

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This article was posted in its entirety as published by The Labour Spokesman.